A/N: Mm, no reviews. Guess that means no responses. Meh. Fine my me.
In the lands leading towards the Black Canyon, a herd of horses was running with riders on their backs. These riders included the likes of the Rens and the Xiao Longs. At the front of the herd was Nimo himself, leading the charge.
"It might not be as cool as riding an Ursa, but these horses are AWESOME," Nora cheered. "Did Jaune really catch all of these?"
"No. The foal you are riding is the third generation. The one I am riding, Black Chief, was the head of the herd my friend had to break in order to get the rest of them to follow."
"I didn't know Jaune could do stuff like that," Yang called.
"Neither did he. He was a dirt-covered mess when he rode in our village with the herd," Nako called.
"He must have been thrown off a lot," Nora laughed.
"Great Nimo, what can you tell us about Ratcliffe that hasn't already been said," Ren asked.
"Just know that he is a dishonorable and evil man. As well as cunning. It was through his deceit that he nearly killed Jaune."
"I'm DEFINITELY breaking that guy's legs for that," Nora said.
"Just know that he will be a dangerous foe. He was a threat before, but now that he has the blessings of the dark spirits themselves, who knows what form of evil we may be challenging."
"We're Huntsmen, Great Nimo," Blake called. "Taking on evil is what we do."
"Don't forget, Jaune isn't the only hero Remnant has," Yang said with a smirk.
Nimo smiled at the bravery of the Huntsmen before looking forward, his smile replaced with a scowl. "We are approaching the canyon. Be ready!"
Before the horses entered the canyon, they all abruptly stopped whinnying and crying out in what seemed like fear, everyone desperately trying to calm their steads.
"Is this normal," Nora asked.
"No, it is not. Black Chief is as brave as any of my warriors. He has never been afraid." Nimo looked into the shadowy canyon. "Whatever is in there must be truly evil," he said as he dismounted his horse, everyone following his lead. He took a few steps forward, analyzing the canyon before him. He saw plenty of spots his group could be ambushed, plenty of spots where the enemy could be hiding, and plenty of ways this campaign could end badly.
He took a deep breath, said a quick prayer, then turned toward those who followed him. "Brothers. Sisters. Warriors. Huntsmen. In those darkened walls of stone lies a powerful and deadly force. If fear grips your heart, if terror lies within your spirit, this is your final chance to turn away. Once you enter here, there may be no turning back. You will either find glorious victory... or honorable death. Make your final decision. If I have to go in alone, then I will do what I must, but I will not force you to join me in this trail of terror."
Everyone looked at each other.
"Seriously," Nora snickered before she, Ren, Yang, and Blake walked up. "You think we'd come all this way and turn tail now?"
"We came to help you, noble chief. That is exactly what we plan to do," Ren said.
"We've fought nightmares and terrors before," Blake said.
"We did take down Salem, after all," Yang said with a smirk as she punched her palm. "I dare these guys to scare me."
Nimo nodded with a smile. "Somehow I knew you four would come. As expected of the Heroes of Remnant."
"Great Nimo." He looked at Mahcata. "I would follow you into the blackest of pits and face the darkest of spirits for you. I will never run away and let you fight alone. I promise you; you will always have my spirit as your weapon!"
The Huntsmen and Warriors then cheered, some giving battle cries, Nimo noticing some of them praying and chanting, getting ready for what may lie ahead.
Nodding in pride, Nimo turned towards the canyon, taking out his tomahawks, and everyone else taking out their weapons as they were ready for the battle ahead of them.
Without another word, the small army marched into the canyon.
They walked into the canyon, trying to be as stealthy and quiet as they could.
'Ren, is everyone alright,' Nora whispered.
'Understandably, everyone is on edge. This canyon is far too quiet.'
'Ignoring the noise we're making,' Blake began, 'it's as quiet as a graveyard out here. No insects. No wild Grimm. Nothing. Places like these are usually ripe with Grimm, yet we haven't seen so much as a baby Ravager or a small Creep. That's not normal.'
'Hey, Nimo, are we headed into-' Yang began.
'A trap? Absolutely.'
It got worse when the canyon had parting paths. Three different roads.
Nimo took a deep breath before turning towards the group. 'Mahcata, you and Nako lead a group into the leftmost path.'
'I won't let you down, Great Nimo.'
'Xiao Long, I have been told that you are the mightiest of your group.'
'Guilty as charged.'
'Then please, you and your partner should lead a group into the right path.'
'We'll keep them safe,' Blake said.
Nimo shook his head. 'One mustn't make impossible promises.' Blake's ears dropped before she nodded in understanding.
Nimo looked at Ren and Nora. 'I would be honored if members of Jaune's former team were to aid me in the center path.'
'As I would be honored to aid you,' Ren said.
'Let's bust some heads,' Nora said as she excitedly held her hammer.
With that, the groups split, wondering what nightmares were ahead.
It was eerily quiet down the paths. It was impossible not to be on edge, not to let the negativity leak out of you, which only made things worse. Everyone kept asking themselves the same question:
Where are the Grimm?
Nimo was walking at a steady pace, keeping his eyes peeled with Ren and Nora behind him, their group ready to pounce on whatever moved. Then, after hearing a rock fall, Nimo immediately pulled on the sides of his tomahawks' blade, the sides rising to reveal triggers. Nimo held his tomahawks and aimed at the sound, ready to shoot at whatever was there, only to see nothing. He let out a relieved sigh as he lowered his guns.
Something then wrapped around his neck and chest from behind, dragging him backward. He looked up to see an Imp of all things on a cliff, roaring at him as it dragged him towards it.
Ren immediately shot the Grimm to death, freeing Nimo.
After Ren slew the Imp, a Beowolf pounced on a Warrior, tearing the screaming man apart before another Warrior shot its head off. Then, Ratcliffe's men appeared from the cliffs and started shooting down at the group while Grimm attacked from the ground. Huntsmen and Warriors were either slashing at Grimm or shooting down outlaws.
The Black Canyon War had begun.
As Mahcata led his group, the sound of war was heard. "Great Nimo is under attack! We must rush to their aid!"
"Mahcata, the Chief can handle himself. He's the strongest among us," Nako reminded him.
"But-"
"We have a mission. Once we defeat Ratcliffe, this can be over."
Mahcata looked down, biting his lip when he realized his partner was right. "Alright. Come. Let us put an end to this devil once and for- ERR?!"
Nako gasped in pain as she fell to her knees. The other Huntsmen and Warriors also began to fall, all of them groaning in pain. Only Mahcata was still standing.
"What... is this?" He then heard growling, followed by the stomping footsteps of hooves. He looked behind him to see a monster he never thought he'd ever see. "A... Wendigo."
The powerful Grimm approached Mahcata, towering over the six-foot tall man. Mahcata felt like his very soul was being sucked out of him just by being near the monster. 'How... could anyone... beat something so evil?' His eyes widened when the thought left his mind. He barely even registered the fact that the monster swatted him into the wall before it looked down at Nako.
The Grimm then stomped towards her, the Huntress looking up with tired and pained eyes. She watched as the Wendigo raised its massive, long arm, its horrid claws shining darkly even within the Black Canyon. Time seemed to slow as the claws rushed towards her.
Her eyes widened when Mahcata appeared in front of her, stabbing his knife into the monster's palm, its claws striking Mahcata's Aura-protected arm.
The Wendigo growled down at Mahcata.
"I saw the story of the Lone Wolf, monster. A forgotten legend that will be revitalized in my tribe. Though it is young, it is still worthy of honor and praise. In that tale, a single wolf bested your kind. If the pride of the Lone Wolf can best you, imagine what the Ferocity of the Bear can do!" Mahcata then ripped his knife out of the Grimm's hand before activating his Semblance.
Mahcata yelled out his battle cry, his arm surrounded by Aura that took the shape of a bear's arm. Mahcata's mighty blow sent the Wendigo skidding back, the creature growling as it stood back up. Mahcata then took his second knife, spin his weapons around, then ignited them with the Fire Dust within them, holding two flaming knives that illuminated the canyon.
The Wendigo roared at Mahcata, that act alone harming the man to the point his Aura began to spark. Mahcata gave out his war cry in retaliation as he charged at the powerful Grimm, lunging at it.
The Wendigo caught Mahcata by his throat, but he didn't care. He retaliated by continuously stabbing it in its arm, only to be slammed to the ground. The Wendigo then inhaled, literally draining Mahcata's life force, the man gasping in pain.
The Wendigo then roared in pain after it was shot in the eye. Mahcata kicked the monster off of him, looking behind him to see that Nako had shot it, the woman panting as she was struggling to get to her feet, only to fall again.
Mahcata nodded at her before struggling to get back on his feet, panting as he activated his Semblance, both arms covered in Aura, taking the form of bear claws. Giving out his war cry, he charged at the beast and slashed at it several times, his blows making the Wendigo stagger.
Then, the monster caught one of Mahcata's swings before slashing upward, his Aura close to shattering. It then threw him against the canyon walls, his Aura sputtering, but that didn't matter. The force of the throw was still enough to make Mahcata cough up blood. He then fell to the ground, gasping out of pain and exhaustion, blood flowing out of his mouth. He looked up to see the Wendigo walk towards him, the beast draining him from a distance as it approached him.
Mahcata thought it was over. He couldn't move. He was too exhausted. 'I... couldn't surpass the Wolf.'
Then, Mahcata heard drums. It was followed by chanting. He looked towards it to see his brothers chanting. It was slow and weak, due to how drained they all were, but they were still chanting, their Auras glowing.
Then, thunder was heard. Mahcata looked up to see storm clouds gathering. Right as the Wendigo raised its arm to finish Mahcata off, a lightning bolt came down and struck the beast, the Wendigo roaring in pain. Taking out his third knife, as soon as the lightning was gone, Mahcata lunged at the Wendigo and plunged his blade into its glowing chest.
Mahcata roared with the Wendigo as he used all of his strength to slam the monster into the opposite wall of the canyon, slamming it into the wall with enough force to stab some of the sharpened rocks into its back. The Wendigo roared in pain before it tried to grab Mahcata. However, Nako ran up and stabbed one of Mahcata's dropped knives into the palm of the monster, stabbing the blade into the wall before tossing the other knife to Mahcata, who caught and stabbed the other beast's arm, making it roar once more.
All three were panting, the Wendigo's breathing sounding labored, obviously close to death. Mahcata looked up at the monster looking down at him, panting in exhaustion before glaring at the powerful foe.
"Give this message to the Chief Dark Spirit. The Lone Wolf... Jaune Arc is not the only protector of this land. As long as I live... as long as the Gero Tribe still thrives... as long as there is still so much as a single Warrior roaming these lands, it will always have a guardian! So says I, Mahcata, the Ferocious Bear of the Gero Tribe!"
With a roar, Mahcata ripped out his knife and decapitated the Wendigo as it roared at him. Panting, Mahcata looked down at the head, lifted it by its antlers, and held up the head with a war cry as it faded away into dust. The group Huntsmen and Warriors let out victory cries, war cries, and war chants at the sight of the powerful Grimm's death.
Mahcata stumbled a bit, Nako catching him. "Mahcata, you should rest."
"No. This is just a single victory in a great war. We need to continue on and defeat-"
BANG
Mahcata's eyes widened when he felt something strike his back. He then quickly pushed Nako away from him before an explosion occurred.
Nako's eyes widened when she saw Mahcata sent flying into the group, shattered Aura sprinkling a path behind him, landing with fire on his back. "MAHCATA!"
A Huntsman had already poured his bottle of water on Mahcata's back, leaving behind a nasty third-degree burn. Huntsmen and Warriors proficient in first aid were already tending to him when Nako slid to his side.
"Mahcata! Mahcata, you're going to be alright," she went, tears flowing as she looked at her groaning partner. She looked towards where the shot came from, her eyes widening to see who had committed the crime before her eyes filled with anger and rage. "RATCLIFFE!"
Ratcliffe lowered his rifle, an uninterested look on his face. "He's not here either. Nothing but savages and fools. Dispose of them," he said as he walked away, packs of Beowolves and Ursa running towards the group.
Nako grabbed one of Mahcata's knives, stood up, and raised the knife with a war cry. The Huntsmen and Warriors gave their battle cries as they ran to take on the pack.
"I care not for these fools," Ratcliffe said as he walked away, ignoring the battle happening behind him. "Where are you? Show yourself. This is all just to kill you. DO YOU HEAR ME," he roared towards the sky.
"AAAAARC!"
A Tatanka roared as it charged, only to collide with Yang's fist.
The heroic Huntress and the powerful Grimm clashed, the force of their pushback creating a small hurricane in the canyon. Then, Yang's eyes turned red as her hair ignited. Then, with a roar, she sent the Bison Grimm flying, the creature slamming onto a pack of Beowolves. She then activated the grenade she left on the Grimm, blowing up the whole pile.
A Warrior was on the back of a Tahca, stabbing into its neck as it tried to buck him off. The Warrior finished it off before it could. Before the Tahca could fall, Blake used it as a springboard to jump into the sky and shoot the outlaws, taking a few out before using Gambol Shroud to swing across the canyon and land on an Ursa's back, shooting at Grimm below her.
A Beowolf pounced at her back, about to reach her, only to get an arrow to the skull. Blake watched it fall before looking to see a Warrior still holding up his bow. Blake nodded gratefully towards the Warrior, who nodded back before firing at an outlaw.
Blake saw a Boarbatusk charge at Yang's back. She shot an Ice Bullet in its path, making it trip and skid towards Yang. Right before it reached Yang, Blake stabbed her sword through its head, killing it, now back-to-back with her wife.
"Thanks, babe," Yang said.
"This is insane. All this to kill Jaune?"
"I know. Jaune really has to stop pissing off his lady friends."
"No times for jokes, Yang," Blake said as she shot at an outlaw. "We need to get to Ratcliffe and end this. A Grimm force this big could take down any of the kingdoms, let alone any villages in its way."
"Ah, we can take this. We've dealt with worse."
A rumbling was then heard.
Everyone looked towards the path to see the rock rising and cracking. Then, the white head of a massive King Taijitu shot up, looked down at the group, and roared.
Yang's eyes widened. "That's... a BIIIIIIIG snake."
"That thing's almost as big as a Leviathan. It's blocking the entire canyon path. No Taijitu is that big."
"Actually, Blake, I spoke with Arie. He said that my mom and his dad fought a Taijitu even bigger than this."
"You're joking, right? The Grimm really is evolving into monsters like this?"
Yang then opened up her gauntlets. "Good thing we're improving to take on monsters like this," she said as she took out her Silver Ammo.
Blake saw this and nodded. "This is definitely an emergency," she said as she exchanged her cartridge for her Silver Cartridge.
"Time for Bumblebee," the wives said in unison as they stood before the giant snake roaring at them.
The two smirked before Yang caught Blake's Shroud. Blake then spun around before flinging Yang high into the air, using her Semblance to avoid the Taijitu's strike. Blake then landed on the monster's head, hung over the side of it, and stabbed it in its eye. It screeched in pain as opened its mouth wide towards the sky.
Yang's smirk grew when she saw the opened maw. "DINNER'S SERVED," she yelled as she unloaded her Silver Grenades into the open mouth. Blake then wrapped her Shroud around Yang's waist and yanked her out of the path of the mouth, Yang punching towards the ground to help them land on their feet. When they landed, explosions were heard inside of the Taijitu as it screeched in agony before it faded away.
A rumbling was heard once more, the black head of the Grimm bursting from the exit path and roaring.
"YANG!"
Yang grabbed Blake's hand a spun. She then threw Blake towards the Taijitu, flying like a rocket. She then began to spin before swinging Gambol Shroud, the blade stabbing into the snout of the Grimm, making it hiss in annoyance. Blake swung towards the beast before yanking hard enough to have her shoot up and land on its head. She then proceeded to shoot its head, the Silver Dust going off.
The Grimm screeched in pain as it was engulfed in silver light. When the light was gone, the snake was stone. Moments later, it began to crumble and fall to pieces, some of the chunks falling on other Grimm. Blake was able to jump off and swing her way back to her wife, the two smiling before looking up at the outlaws.
They were so terrified of the two women who took down the largest Grimm they had ever seen so easily that they ran away.
The Huntsmen and Warriors cheered, even while still fighting, seeing this as a sign of victory.
"Think the others are having as much fun as we are," Yang asked.
"We can only hope. Come on. The sooner we take down Ratcliffe, the sooner we can... What?"
"What is it," Yang asked before looking down the path like Blake was.
Before they was a single man approaching them. He had what looked like a pickaxe in one hand and a spear with a shield in the middle with his other hand.
"Who... is that," Blake asked.
"I-It can't be." She looked behind her to see many shocked warriors.
"But-But he's dead."
"It can't be. Great Nimo killed him. I saw it myself."
"But that's his vest. That's his axe. His spear!"
"It's not him! Just a grave robber who defiled his burial ground! I'll prove it," a Warrior yelled as he shot at the man.
The man merely blew, stopping the bullet in its tracks, making it fall harmlessly as he continued walking.
The man's eyes widened, stepped back in horror. "It IS him."
Blake and Yang were confused.
"Can someone tell us who this guy is," Yang went.
"Chief Puhihwitsi, former leader of one of Sanus's most vicious tribes and constant adversary to Chief Nimo," a Warrior explained. "He is famously known as Iron Vest by outsiders because of his chainmail. He believed that the land belonged to our people and ours alone, never wanting outsiders to so much as travel through here. He would set up ambushes that almost always ended in bloodshed, taking from the victims."
"Chief Nimo greatly disapproved of his methods, so they were always at odds. It became far worse after Jaune Arc helped our Chief take back the land Ratcliffe stole, Iron Vest furious with the chief that he accepted help from an outsider instead of from him or another tribe."
"Their feud finally developed into a duel, the two chiefs fighting until one either yielded... or died. Iron Vest gave Nimo no choice. How could a man survive a bullet to the heart?"
Iron Vest then raised his axe. When he did, the canyon became blacker than before, especially around Iron Vest's feet.
Out of the shadows crawled out Horse Grimm, the creatures neighing and stomping threateningly and intimidatingly. For some reason, everyone was nervous.
Then, Vest pointed his axe at the group.
Before anyone realized it, Yang was slammed into by a Horse. The group realized that they were fighting an entire Herd, the war ragging on.
Iron Vest just stared at the battle before turning and walking away. "Not here. Where are you?"
His eyes then glowed a pale red.
"Nimo?"
The war was raging on. Bullets, arrows, and Grimm flew all around. Beowolves mauled the heroes or got shot by them. Tatankas either trampled Warriors or got covered in arrows. Tahcas were sending Huntsmen flying with its kicks and the swing of its head, the deadly antlers tearing Aura to shreds, leaving the fighters vulnerable, which the Outlaws took advantage of. But Semblances took care of Tahcas while sharpshooting Huntsmen and Warriors took care of the Outlaws.
The Rens were taking down both Grimm and Outlaws, Nora actually hitting a Tatanka with enough force to send it flying into a group of Outlaws. Though both were at first feeling fatigued, they soon felt rejuvenized, seeing their Auras glow. They then realize they could hear chanting and looked into the center of the group to see some Warriors chanting while pounding at their drums.
"That Semblance is kinda like Jaune's," Nora giggled.
"Although admittedly a bit weaker. After all, Jaune doesn't need to chant or use any instruments. Plus," Ren began as he took out his scroll. "Our Aura isn't recharging nearly as quickly as he does it. In fact, it almost seems to be draining. It's basically Argent's Aura Enhancement at a lower level. Still," Ren began before he slashed an Ursa, the bear standing tall before him before it fell in two. "This is of great help," he said with a smirk.
A Beowolf then lunged at Ren through the smoke, too fast for even him to react to. However, it was struck in the side of the head. When it fell dead to the ground, Ren saw the famous tomahawk in its skull. The symbols and designs on the handle then glowed purple before rushing back into Nimo's grasp, his glove no longer glowing purple from the Gravity Dust sown into them.
Nimo then glanced behind himself and sidestepped in time to perfectly avoid a Beowolf's slash. Nimo chopped the beast's arm off before uppercutting his tomahawk into the bottom of the Grimm's head, killing it instantly before ripping out his weapon and letting it fall to the ground.
He looked down at it before looking up, his eyes widening as he saw an open path forward. He looked back at his group, seeing the battle taking place, then back at the clear path towards their true enemy. He was wondering if he should stay and help his brothers fight or move forward towards Ratcliffe.
"Nimo, go on," Nora called, getting the chief's attention.
"We can handle this," Ren said as he shot a Grimm and an Outlaw at the same time. "We'll make sure they get out of this safely. Just put an end to this!"
Nimo gripped his tomahawks tightly before taking in a deep breath. "My prayers are with you, Noble Rens. You are every bit members of this tribe as your great leader is," Nimo yelled before running down the path towards who knows what.
Nora giggled. "Now that's a compliment."
"If we're a part of this tribe, then we shouldn't disappoint," Ren said as he reloaded his guns.
"YEAH! LET'S DO THIS," Nora said as she fired off rounds of grenades at the Outlaws, explosions mixing with screams of pain and terror.
Nimo ran down the path as fast as he could praying to the spirits to give him the strength to end this dark battle, to save his people, his Warriors, his Huntsmen, his family, and his friends. As he ran, he noticed that there was no one attacking him. He looked up to see there were no Grimm, no Outlaws, and no traps. There was nothing stopping him.
It was too easy.
Then, he made it to the end of the path.
Before him looked to be a camp. There were plenty of small and shabby tents, trash everywhere, scattered bullet and Dust cartridges, and some tossed-out food. He then saw at the end of the camp, a tent higher than the rest. Larger as well. Gripping his tomahawks with a fire in his eye, Nimo walked forward until he was in the very center of the camp, standing before the large tent.
"Ratcliffe! Show yourself! I know you are here, Rodent!"
It was silent for a bit before movement was heard, followed by clanking armor. Then, the tent was pushed open, revealing the man himself.
'Hmph. He's thinner than last time,' Nimo thought.
Ratcliffe looked down at Nimo with cold indifference before it turned into a condescending smirk. "Ah. The Great Chief Nimo. It is a pleasure to see you again after all these long years."
"I cannot say those same words, Sickle. In fact, I had hoped you would never see the light of day again."
Ratcliffe's smile was replaced by a scowl. "A fate that was almost given to me by that bastard, Arc." He then looked around. "Where is that blasted 'hero'? SHOW YOURSELF, ARC! DOES THE MIGHTY VALE KNIGHT NEED A MERE SAVAGE TO SPEAK FOR HIM!?"
"He is not here!"
Ratcliffe's eyes widened before they narrowed as he glared at the heroic chief. "What," he hissed out through gritted teeth venomously.
"He has not been in these lands for days. He doesn't even know about this little war."
Ratcliffe then began to seethe with rage. "YOU DARE WASTE MY TIME, MY ARMY, ON YOU AND YOUR SAVAGES WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING ARC OF MY PRESENCE?! HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME IN SUCH A WAY, YOU RED-SKINNED MAGGOT!"
"My friend has much more pressing matters to attend to. Greater spirits to defeat. More important tasks at hand than wasting on a fool such as you."
"FOOL?! YOU DARE?!"
"YES! ALL THESE YEARS AND ALL YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WAS REVENGE AGAINST JAUNE?! HAVE YOU DONE NOTHING BUT STEW IN YOUR OWN VILE HATRED TOWARDS A GREAT WARRIOR AND HERO?!"
"OF COURSE I HAVE! HE DENIED ME EVERYTHING! MY WEALTH, MY POWER, MY KINGDOM! IF IT WERE NOT FOR HIM, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE POWER TO MAKE EVEN GLYNDA GOODWITCH BOW BEFORE ME! ALL OF VALE, NO ALL OF SANUS ITSELF WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER MY COMMAND, BUT HE HAD TO RUIN EVERYTHING! HOW COULD I NOT HATE THE MAN WHO TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME?!"
Nimo stared at Ratcliffe before he shook his head. "You are a truly sad and pitiful man, Ratcliffe." He then flipped one of his tomahawks and aimed the barrel of his weapon at the madman. "But you are also far too dangerous to allow to live. I'm sure Jaune will forgive me for taking life as vile as yours."
Ratcliffe chuckled. "Do you truly believe you can beat me?"
Nimo glanced in a direction when he heard growling. He saw a Beowolf walk out from behind a tent before another appeared. Nimo looked around to see he was completely surrounded.
"I will show Arc that he was foolish to leave. It will kill your entire tribe and parade their corpses as I hunt him down, with your head being the treasured mantel piece as my army marches against him. He will know how foolish it was to make himself an enemy of John 'The Sickle' Ratcliffe."
Nimo glared directly at the villain. "You will never get the satisfaction. This is where you fall, never laying an eye on my old friend."
Ratcliffe stared back before rolling his eyes and turning back into his tent. "Kill him," he said before entering.
The Beowolves then roared as they charged at Nimo all at once, the great warrior holding his tomahawks at the ready, prepared to kill every single one of them.
Nimo hacked and slashed at the hordes of Beowolves. Though he was completely surrounded, he was never outmatched. If one tried to attack him from behind, he would skillfully grab and fling the beast away from him. He was able to see openings that prevented numbers of Beowolves from pouncing on him, was able to outmaneuver them in the camp, and was even able to ambush them. It's no wonder he was thought to be blessed by the spirits.
Ironic, considering his Semblance is actually called Blessing. As long as he has his Aura, his senses are heightened to abnormal levels. Sight, hearing, taste, and touch. They were all greater than average. It was why, despite being in his sixties, he was still able to fight as if he were in his prime.
The only problem was that the less Aura he had, the less he would be amplified. It was basically like aging back to your actual time. This meant that with all the fighting he had gone through, Nimo was getting tired. He was already panting.
That didn't matter though, for he had slain the final Beowolf.
But he was exhausted. He was panting heavily, hunched over, sweat dripping from his face, his tomahawks feeling much heavier. Still, he did not care. He just stood up and looked defiantly at the tent before taking a step forward.
However, the moment he did take that first step, his instincts filled him with a sense of danger, as if the very spirits yelled at him of a threat. He quickly turned around and held up his tomahawk in time to block a bullet.
"Impressive. You are as great a warrior as ever, Nimo."
Nimo's eyes widened, not believing what he was hearing. 'That voice. It couldn't be.' When he lowered his tomahawk, he stepped back. "Impossible. Iron Vest?"
"It has been many moons, brother."
Nimo stared at the old man before shaking his head. "You are no brother of mine. You threw away any chance of such a bond when you killed innocents."
"I killed invaders."
"Women and children and men who could not defend themselves were invaders to you? You slew an old man who had his arm taken by the dark spirits!"
"That old man begged for death. He did not resist my blade at all. If anything, he welcomed death."
"But did the others you slew? Those fleeing their homes torn by darkness? Those who had their lives stolen by outlaws and bandits? Those who merely wanted to travel in peace? How much innocent blood are you willing to ignore?"
"If they trespass, they are not innocent. A belief you did not agree with until that one stole land from us."
Nimo glanced back towards the tent before looking at his former ally in the protection of their homeland. "Why help Ratcliffe? Why aid someone you so obviously hate?"
"Aid? He's nothing more than a tool of revenge."
"Revenge?"
"Against you," Vest said as he pointed his axe at Nimo, making the chief's eyes widen. "Oh, don't look so surprised. You did kill me, after all. Then you made my tribesmen yours, exorcising their true warrior spirits into something I can't recognize anymore."
"I turned them into good men and women. They are more than mere murderers. They are heroes. Guardians that protect our land from evil like Ratcliffe's. An evil-"
"That you did not banish yourself."
"Correct." Vest's eye twitched. "My old friend showed me that there is still good in the hearts of the white man. Good in outsiders. They are not all vicious, ravenous monsters. Some genuinely do want to protect the land. I would gladly call a man like that my brother."
Vest glared at Nimo. "You've grown weak, Nimo. Allowing your land to be stolen was enough of dishonor, but giving aid to the type of man who stole it, to begin with?"
"Jaune is nothing like Ratcliffe!" Nimo sighed as he shook his head. "But you never could understand something so simple. You're just a blood-thirsty killer."
"Blood-thirsty. Yes, that is a perfect description, for I thirst for your blood, Chief of the Gero Tribe." Nimo glared at Vest defiantly. "Isn't it ironic, the great hero of the land being slain in its most cursed grounds? Just know that you will at least die a warrior."
Nimo was beginning to shake, his body feeling its age before he willed it to stop. "Even in this state, I doubt I would lose to you, Iron Vest."
". . . I agree." Iron Vest then raised his hand. When he did, at least twenty Puuku (Horse Grimm) crawled out of the shadows, all of them neighing and stomping wildly.
Nimo looked at Vest with sadness and disappointment. "Oh, Puhi, is that what it has come to? Selling your sell to the Dark Spirits?"
"The Dark Spirits are who saved me, Nimo. I should have died in our duel, but by their grace, I survived to fight another day. My hatred against you gave me the blessings of the Chief Dark God himself, the almighty being giving me dominion over the Puuku. I am not without mercy, my old rival. If you abandon Arc, you can join my side. We can kill the Great Rat and rule over our lands. It will be a golden age of peace the likes of which our people could never even dream of before. Join me, Great Nimo. Let us bless our lands together."
Nimo stared at Vest, a single tear falling down his cheek. "You were once one of this land's greatest heroes. Its greatest protectors. True, you were feared, but you were also revered. Your legend is sung as both a cautionary tale as to what you can become when consumed by hatred and a tale of honor for the Coma Tribe. Now I see that the great hero I once knew and respected is long since dead. There is no saving you."
Vest stared at Nimo before he sighed. "I see. Disappointing."
Nimo took his stance, taking one step forward. That once step made what felt like a bolt of lightning rush up Nimo's leg, the man wincing in pain as he buckled a tiny bit, but enough for Vest to notice.
"Your Spirit (Semblance) is faltering, Nimo. The fair hand of time is reaching out to you. As I said, you will die."
Nimo stared at Vest. "At least I die with honor."
Vest stared at Nimo. He then took a deep breath. "HA!" The Puuku basically roared as they ran towards Nimo, the man ready to fight to his last breath.
Then, the lead Puuku had its neck impaled. Nimo watched as a shadow swung around the Grimm's neck and pulled something that tripped the front of the herd, stopping the rest.
"WHAT," Vest went before his instincts warned him of danger. He then held up his shield in time to block a fist.
"YOU AND I HAVE BUSINESS, PAL!" Vest's attacker then jumped off of Vest's shield and landed in front of Nimo.
Nimo glared at the two beings in front of his quarry. "A white woman and a Faunus?"
"Lady Blake? Lady Yang," Nimo said in surprise.
"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner, Nimo," Blake said.
"Had to take out those Outlaw punks. Your boys and girls said they could handle the Grimm just fine with them gone," Yang said before pushing her arms forward and quickly pulling back.
Vest heard a beeping before looking down at his shield. He then held it up quickly enough to avoid the explosion. He lowered his shield, glaring at the three before him.
"Three Huntsmen against a herd of Horse Grimm and the man who controls them," Blake surmised.
"Seems like some bad odds. Should I take off my arm to make it fairer," Yang asked as she and her wife took their stances.
Nimo smiled before he took his stance, the three ready to take down Iron Vest and his Grimm Herd.
Nimo, Blake, and Yang were taking out scores of the herd. Precise throws of Nimo's tomahawks, quick slashes from Blake's Gambol Shroud, and explosive blows from Yang's Ember Celica took out many of the Puuku, but Vest was able to summon more replacements.
However, as they fought, the heroes always attacked Vest when they found an opening, but Vest showed them why he was a legendary Warrior in the lands. He was able to easily dodge Nimo's tomahawks, parry Blake's slashes, and block Yang's punches. Shooting was also useless thanks to his Semblance, Blown Shield. By merely blowing, he could make their shots fall safely to the ground, only dodging Yang's bombs.
The fight wasn't much better up close. Nimo and Vest were always compared to one another, both seen as legendary warriors, the best of the best. However, Vest had an advantage, Nimo was getting tired. Nimo had been fighting all day, his Aura lowered, his body starting to fail him. He was old and tired. Even though Vest was just as old as Nimo, he didn't spend his time fighting the enemy army, which is why he was able to easily kick the tiring man back into the herd, Nimo having to defend himself against the Puuku.
Blake and Yang didn't fare much better. One-on-one, Vest was as fast as Blake, and his experience made him even more dangerous. He was even able to time it just right to stab his spear into the ground for Gambol Shroud to wrap around, slashing Blake with his axe. Blake had to use her Semblance to escape him.
Yang's punches were all blocked by Vest's shield, but she was able to avoid his slashes. Too bad she couldn't avoid a kick from the side by a Puuku.
The only time he received any real damage was with a Bumblebee Combo. One of them involved Blake tricking Vest into thinking she would wrap her weapon around his spear again, only for it to go right past him. He looked back to see Yang had caught it before punching him in the face. She wrapped the Shroud around Vest, punched her grenades onto him, and Blake would slam him into the ground, Yang ending the combo by activating the bombs.
The wives high-fived each other before Yang was sent flying by a Fire Dust bullet. Blake looked towards Vest, the man walking out of the fire, the top of his axe smoking from the bullet as his Aura merely sparked.
The three were now in a group, back-to-back, surrounded by circling Horse Grimm.
"There's no end to these carousel rejects," Yang yelled.
"He just keeps summoning more and more," Blake went. Her ear twitched when she heard panting, looking to see a tired-looking Nimo. "Chief Nimo, are you alright?"
"I'm... fine," he panted.
Blake then took out her scroll, her eyes widening. "No, you're not! Your Aura's in the red!"
"I'm... a Warrior. I... can keep-" He then began to cough violently before falling to one knee.
"What's wrong with him," Yang asked in worry.
"It's his Semblance," Blake explained as she kneeled next to the heroic chief. "It's what allows him to fight alongside us. To fight like he's in his prime. Without his Aura and Semblance, he's just an old man overworking himself! We have to end this quickly! If not, he could die!"
"DAMMIT," Yang went as her eyes turned red.
"Don't... worry... about... me," Nimo wheezed. "We need to-*cough, cough*- stop Vest. We can't get to Ratcliffe until we deal with him."
"Sure could use some backup," Yang said.
Vest was watching the interaction, noticing that the three had no idea where he was. Taking advantage of that, he aimed his axe right at Nimo, about to pull the trigger. One more shot was all it would take to shatter Nimo's Aura. After that, either another bullet or a kick from his Horses would end him. He was about to commit the deed.
Then, a war cry was heard.
Vest looked to see Warriors and Huntsmen rush his herd, led by Nako.
"FOR THE CHIEF! FOR THE SPIRITS! FOR THE LAND," she roared as the group began to slaughter the Grimm.
Vest growled at the sight before turning towards Nimo. When he did, Nimo slammed his tomahawk into Vest's face, the man stumbling back before swinging his axe, Nimo blocking it with his tomahawk. Nimo swung his other tomahawk, only for Vest to block it with his spear. That was the opening Blake needed to slash his back, making him stumble forward, allowing Nimo to plant a knee into his enemy's gut.
Vest headbutted Nimo, shattering the Chief's Aura, kicking him away. As Nimo lay groaning on the ground, Vest stood above him, ready to stab him through the heart.
Yang punched him in the face instead, knocking him away from Nimo. Growling in anger, Vest swung his spear, Yang narrowly dodging the attacking and countering with a shot from her Ember Celica, which Vest deflected. The two pretty much dueled each other, spear and axe clashing with fists, Yang going all out with her Semblance.
At first, it looked like Yang had the advantage, until Vest blew at her, Yang slamming her face into a shield of air, surprising her enough for Vest to kick her into a charging Puuku.
Still, Yang did more than enough damage for Vest's Aura to begin to spark, and he was now getting tired, finally showing his age as well. Due to how ferociously he fought, it was easy to overlook that he seemed just as old as Nimo himself.
Vest then looked towards Nimo, only to be shot. The bullets then exploded, making him skid back, fall to one knee, and shatter his Aura. He looked up with a glare to see Nimo standing before him, panting, his tomahawk still smoking. Nimo then spun his weapon before taking his stance, shakily but still bravely.
Vest shakily stood back onto his feet and took his stance, glaring at his enemy.
The two then gave their battle cries before charging at each other. Their axes clashed before Nimo moved his head to avoid Vest's thrust of his spear. Nimo then plunged his tomahawk under Vest's arm, ripping it out, blood gushing out as Vest stumbled back.
Vest then spun, looking about ready to fall, only to swing his axe, stabbing it through Nimo's thigh. Nimo gritted his teeth before throwing one of his tomahawks at Vest's head, only for Vest to deflect it, the weapon falling behind him.
Vest then twisted and ripped his axe out of Nimo's leg, blood gushing down his leg. He then held up his axe, ready to plunge it into Nimo's head, only for Blake to shoot it out of his hand.
Vest's eyes widened in rage as he tried to stab Nimo with his spear, but Nimo deflected the spear with his tomahawk before opening his palm, his glove glowing.
The tomahawk behind Vest then began to shake as it glowed purple before it flew towards Vest. Vest gasped in shock and surprise when the tomahawk plunged into his back, making him stumble forward.
That was when Nimo plunged the other tomahawk into his chest.
Vest was holding onto Nimo, eyes wide as he looked down at the weapon in his chest, black blood seeping out. He dropped his spear before looking up at Nimo one last time, coughing up more black blood.
Nimo watched stoically as Vest's face became as white as a Grimm's, his eyes becoming Grimm as well. Then, still holding onto Nimo, Vest fell to the ground, black smoke rising from his slowly vanishing body.
"I see. You were a dark spirit, too. That's how you were able to control the Puuku."
Vest gagged and gasped, dying before grabbing Nimo's collar. "He... vows... to walk... upon the land. He'll show... no mercy. . . Protect them... from him."
Nimo looked at his former friend sadly before nodding. "I will. This time, may the spirits allow you to rest. . . brother."
Vest's eyes then became dull as he released his death sigh. Now, Iron Vest was dead once more, his body fading away in Nimo's arms.
The great warrior... shed a final tear.
"Goodbye."
The group cheered when the last Grimm was slain. Though there were casualties, it was still a total victory. Nako was searching for her chief when her eyes widened as she found him, sitting against a post as medicine men were looking after him. "Great Nimo!"
He looked up as the medicine man chanted while shaking herbs above his wounds, Aura floating down from the plants and onto Nimo's wounds, healing them. "Nako."
She ran towards her leader and knelt down, looking at his wounds. "By the spirits."
"Do not worry about me, child. Where is Mahcata?"
"Wounded and being tended to. He was rendered unconscious..." She glared towards the tent. "By HIM."
"I see." Nimo then stood up.
"Great Nimo," Nako went in worry.
"You should not stand up, my friend," the medicine man went.
"I am fine." He then looked at the tent. "I am also ready to end this," he said as he walked forward.
As the Huntsmen and Warriors were talking to one another, telling each other of their grand battles, glorious victories, and tragic losses, they stepped aside when they saw Nimo walking forward. The Huntsmen saluted their GuildMaster while the Warriors bowed respectfully towards their chief. Some were even praying, others chanting. In a short walk, Nimo stood before the small army, standing tall and proud.
In the eyes of everyone there, he was a giant. The greatest among them. A true hero and a legendary leader.
"Ratcliffe! Your armies have fallen! Your champion is bested! Your victory is impossible! Come out and surrender peacefully! No more blood need be spilled!"
Moments passed.
Then, Ratcliffe stepped out, looking down at Nimo. He then looked around before looking down at Nimo, raising an eyebrow. "What are you going on about, you old fool? My army has fallen? And what's this nonsense about my champion?"
"I have slain Iron Vest. He has been returned to the spirits."
"That one?" Ratcliffe laughed. "You think that savage was MY champion?! He was just a tool. A gun aimed solely at you. His death means nothing to mean."
Everyone muttered at each other, while Nimo glared at him.
"And as for my army... I seem to have one," he said as he raised his hands and snapped his fingers.
Moments passed. Then, a rumbling occurred.
Out of the sides of the cliffs burst the heads of two massive King Taijitu, both black, the great snakes roaring at the small army. Then, the sky went black as an entire flock of Nevermores flew into the canyon, screeching, ready for battle. Ratcliffe still had an army of giants at his disposal.
"As you can see, victory is still very much at hand. True, you killed quite a bit of my monsters, but I can always make more. I should be thanking you, though, Nimo. I now know that I need a much grander army if I am to kill Arc. You've done well. Now, be a good little savage and die," he said as he turned his head.
BANG
Ratcliffe stumbled forward after he was shot in the back of his head. Rubbing it, he glared behind him to see Nimo pointing the barrel end of his tomahawk at him. "I was wrong. Blood does need to be spilled. You are far too evil to allow to live."
Ratcliffe growled in rage. "KILL HIM!"
A Taijitu roared as it lunged towards Nimo. It was stopped after several grenades exploded in its face. Everyone looked to see the final group running into the canyon, roaring out battle cries as they already began shooting at the Nevermores and Taijitu. The rest of the army started firing.
Ratcliffe growled as he went back into his tent.
"Not this time," Nimo went as he ran towards the tent. He threw his tomahawk, hitting the edge of the cliff, and turned a dial on his glove. Pointing his hand at the tomahawk, he was then yanked towards his weapon. He grabbed the weapon by the handle, now at the top of the cliff. Tomahawks in hand, no Aura left, body at its limit, but filled with determination, Nimo walked into the tent, ready to end the war.
His eyes widened when he saw what was inside. "By the spirits."
There were newspaper clippings all about Jaune pinned up everywhere. His victories, his accomplishments, his allies, and what Nimo hated to see the most, information about his son. Nimo also saw countless strategies about how to kill Jaune. Where to ambush him. What to send to kill him. . . And who to use against him. Nimo himself was on that list... as was his daughter.
Then, Nimo saw Ratcliffe himself... standing before a dark painting. It radiated evil, cold, darkness. It was a tall, dark, horned figure in the shape of a man, but without a face or any features. Just pure shadow "The Chief Dark Spirit," Nimo said softly.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I painted it myself. The one true God. The one I have to thank for all this power, and for my chance at revenge against that damnable Arc."
"Then the Chief Dark Spirit truly is as evil as we believe. Among all the spirits, he is the most feared."
"As he should be. None but his brother can match him, but fortunately for me, that dear brother of his is rather... complaisant. He'd rather not get involved with us, unlike the God of Darkness. Don't you find it strange," Ratcliffe began as he turned towards Nimo. "Here we are, waging war, with one side wielding the power of the Creatures of Grimm themselves, the very darkness of Remnant, yet the God of Light does nothing? Where is your blessed army, Nimo," Ratcliffe asked smugly.
"The Chief Spirit gives all their own power of the Spirit."
"Ah, yes. Our Semblances," Ratcliffe began as he grabbed his sickle. He then glanced at Nimo and swung his weapon, a trail of caving earth rushing towards him. Nimo merely stepped to the side; a bottomless hole appeared where he once stood. "I do like my Semblance. Mine. Just a single swing and I could dig through a mighty mountain... and cleave through a little man like you as if you were a mere marshmallow."
Nimo didn't respond.
Ratcliffe then chuckled. "But so what?! Semblances aren't special! Everyone can have one, and some are far greater than others! Just look at Arc! Aura Amplification! None of your medicine men can compare to his power! He would have revitalized your Aura, but here you stand before me, vulnerable without so much as a shoulder guard! A bullet can kill you, let alone my Semblance."
Ratcliffe laughed. "But I have something even greater than my superior Semblance!" He then slashed upwards, cutting his tent in half to show the war occurring, Taijitu and Nevermores roaring at the battle crying armies. "CONTROL! COMMAND OVER GIANT, MAGNIFICENT BEASTS! MY POWER NOW RIVALS THAT OF SALEM HERSELF! THAT GRIMM QUEEN MAY HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE, BUT I WILL BE A FORCE EVEN MORE FEARSOME THAN SHE! THE GRIMM WILL BOW BEFORE ME, AND SANUS, NO, ALL OF REMNANT WILL BE MINE!"
"That will never happen." Ratcliffe looked at Nimo. "Not as long as my friend lives."
Ratcliffe lowered his arms and chuckled. "That's right. Arc." He then looked behind at what was left of his tent and ripped off an article. "They call him the King of the Grimm. Because of what he looks like. Because he commands a few poultry Grimm. Because he made a few mutts the protectors of an insignificant village. Do people believe HE is fit to rule these magnificent monsters? RIDICULOUS," he roared as he slashed the paper to shreds.
"He is not worthy of this power. HE ISN'T WORTHY OF LIFE ITSELF! And that, my dear savage, is why he. Must. DIE."
Nimo stared at Ratcliffe before taking his stance. "You... will never see him."
Ratcliffe chuckled before he reached behind him and took out a second sickle. "Oh, I shall. Right after I kill you."
The two stood still before an explosion occurred. That explosion was practically a signal, the two running at each other and clashing.
The final duel between leaders had begun. Without his Aura, Nimo was slower than before, weaker, and in a lot of pain from overworking his aged body. But he was still far more skilled than Ratcliffe.
Fortunately for the Huntsman, Ratcliffe was never much of a warrior. He only unlocked his Aura for protection, dropping out of the academy he attended to pursue business. His Semblance made being a businessman easier for him, digging through mountains and finding precious materials like gold, silver, and Dust. He was once even lucky enough to find oil, making him even wealthier.
Of course, all of his assets were frozen and revoked after Jaune uncovered his criminal empire and threw him into prison, another reason Ratcliffe hates Jaune.
Still, Nimo was landing far more hits than Ratcliffe. In fact, Ratcliffe didn't hit Nimo even once.
"ENOUGH!" Ratcliffe aimed at Nimo, who put up his guard. However, Ratcliffe fired at Nimo's feet.
The Explosive Dust Ratcliffe shot at Nimo sent him flying. Nimo landed with a heavy thud, feeling some of his ribs crack. He also felt a pain in his arm. He looked to see a shard of stone in his bicep, blood flowing down his arm. He quickly ripped off what was left of his vest, yanked out the stone, and bandaged his arm with a groan.
"That made things easier." Nimo glared up at the approaching Ratcliffe, the man aiming his sickle's barrel at him. "Now this silly little duel is the hunt it was meant to be."
Nimo got up as quickly as he could and tried to jump behind a boulder, only for Ratcliffe to be able to shoot his leg. When Nimo landed behind the stone, he was writhing in agony from the Electric Dust on his thigh. He barely hesitated to take a sharpened stone to rip it out, the man panting.
Ratcliffe laughed. "Not even a squeal? Tormenting you will be so enjoyable."
A war cry was heard, followed by Ratcliffe's grunt. "GET OFF OF ME, YOU SAVAGE!"
Nimo looked past the boulder. "MAHCATA!"
The Warrior, his back still covered in burns, was on top of Ratcliffe, trying to choke him. He then punched Ratcliffe in the face continuously before taking out a knife from his boot. He then tried to stab Ratcliffe in the face, only for the villain to grab his wrist, the two struggling.
"This. Ends. NOW," Mahcata roared.
"FILTHY, RED-SKINNED DEVIL!" Ratcliffe then held up one of his arms, a blade popping out of the wrist, and stabbed Mahcata in the side, the man gasping in surprise and pain. Ratcliffe then punched Mahcata off of him, the blade ripping out of his side, the Warrior bleeding out as Ratcliffe approached him, holding Mahcata's knife in his hand.
Ratcliffe stood over the defiant warrior before plunging Mahcata's own knife into his leg. Mahcata gritted his teeth at first, only to scream in pain and agony as Ratcliffe twisted the knife.
"Insolent fool. You believed you could stop me? YOU?! A mere savage, besting the new Lord of the Grimm?!" He then smashed the knife deep into Mahcata's leg, making him scream his loudest.
Nimo tried to get up, only to fall. He looked to see how messed up his leg was, and how he would need to stitch it close before he could save his best Huntsman. He had a needle and thread in his pocket, but by the time he finished patching himself up-
"You said this would end now, correct, boy?" Nimo looked up in horror as he saw Ratcliffe pick up his sickle and walk back to Mahcata. "You're right. This is the end for you," he said as he aimed the barrel at the gasping Mahcata. "DIE."
"HEY, RAT MAN!"
"What? Rat Man?!" Ratcliffe turned towards the yell, only to be smashed in the face by Magnhild. He was sent flying before slamming into a boulder, his Aura sparking, close to shattering. He groaned before looking up at his assailant, eyes widening in rage. "You! I know you! You're one of that bastard's former subordinates!"
"You mean teammate. Name's Nora, the woman who's gonna break your legs!"
Ratcliffe growled before he laughed evilly. "According to my research, Arc loves you like a sister. I wonder how he would react if I were to bring him your severed head on the hilt of that ridiculous hammer."
"Okay, you made THREE mistakes. 1. You told me how you planned on hurting Jaune, which would hurt little Arie, meaning you threatened my family, which is a BIG no-no. 2. You made fun of my hammer. 3. And this is the big one. You ready?"
"Oh, do tell."
"You threatened my wife."
"WHAT," Ratcliffe went as he looked to his side to see an enraged Ren. Ren then performed a palm strike that slammed right into Ratcliffe's side. Ratcliffe gagged in pain, spit flying out of his opened maw, before he was sent flying. When he rolled to a halt, his Aura shattered.
He tried to get back to his feet, getting to his hands and knees, before coughing up blood. He looked at his blood in shock and horror, unable to believe what he saw. "No. No. No, no, no! This can't be! I am John 'The Sickle' Ratcliffe! I am the one who will kill Jaune Arc," he yelled as he slammed his fist on the ground. "I CAN'T LOSE HERE! NOT TO SAVAGES! NOT TO A WOMAN! NOT TO SOME FOOL FROM THAT FAILED VILLAGE THAT NUCKELAVEE DESTROYED! I HAVE TO KILL HIM! I AM THE LORD OF GRIMM! I HAVE TO KILL JAUNE TO GET MY RIGHTFUL CROWN! IT IS OWED TO ME!"
"The only thing owed to you-" Ratcliffe looked up to see Ren and Nora standing over him, looking down at him. "Is life imprisonment. However, after the actions you have committed today, you might be put to death. No less than you deserve."
Ratcliffe glared at Ren before he chuckled. "You think this is over?" Ren just narrowed his eyes at the downed man. "It's not. WITCH! APPEAR BEFORE ME!"
A rumbling occurred. The Rens looked towards where it was coming from, Ratcliffe's tent. Darkness spewed out of it before it landed next to Ratcliffe, a shadowy, humanoid figure standing next to him, long hair hiding its face. Then, it stood straight up, showing a mouthless, human face, white as Grimm bone, eyes red as blood. It was a terrifying sight. Even when transformed, Jaune still had a kind look in his eyes, making his Grimm face still seem handsome and calming. The face of this monster was nothing short of a nightmare.
"No," Nimo went, getting the Ren's attention.
"It... can't be," Mahcata went, struggling to sit up, eyes wide with horror.
"Ratcliffe, what have you done? Do you have any idea what you have unleashed," Nimo went?
"My most powerful monster given to me by Darkness. The Undead Witch!"
"The Skadegamutc," the Warriors went in unison.
"Uh, Lie, isn't that the name of one of the most powerful Grimm in Sanus? The same Grimm that's in the same league as a Nightmare?"
"Worse than a Wendigo, yes. Not even Jaune has fought one of these abominations."
"And he will! And it will be his final battle, for this great creature will kill him! Show them how Witch! Destroy them!" Nothing happened. "DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?! KILL! THEM!"
The Skadegamutc looked down at Ratcliffe, making the man shutter. "W-What are you looking at?"
YOU HAVE FAILED ME, HUMAN, the Grimm spoke, shocking everyone, but none more than Ratcliffe.
"L-Lord Darkness?"